AP PA Headlines: Gov’s remarks, Counties want mail-in election |

Photo provided by Gov. Wolf

AP PA Headlines 4/14/20

HARRISBURG, Pa. – From the Governor’s Office: Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf updated the public on Pennsylvania’s response to the 2019 novel coronavirus. The following are his prepared remarks: “My fellow Pennsylvanians, thank you for joining me. I want to talk with you about where we are with this pandemic and where we hope to be.

“Each day we face a new set of realities and a new set of fears. But we Pennsylvanians are facing these new realities with a calm determination that has been nothing short of extraordinary. We’re doing this together even as we have been apart, and I want to thank every one of you for facing this crisis in such courageous and masterful ways. More at www.governor.pa.gov.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Some of Pennsylvania’s most populous counties are starting to press Gov. Tom Wolf to allow them to conduct the June 2 primary election entirely by mail amid fears that the coronavirus would pose a threat to poll workers and voters. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald on Monday said holding an in-person election in the midst of the coronavirus crisis would be a “disaster.” Wolf’s office says the governor is evaluating options to increase the percentage of voters who vote by mail. Also Monday, the state Supreme Court upheld Wolf’s decision to shutter non-life-sustaining businesses during the pandemic.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Governors in the Northeast and along the West Coast are announcing separate state compacts to coordinate how to begin reopening society amid the coronavirus pandemic. They did not announce a timeline but said they will consider the health of residents first and will be guided by science. Nine of the 10 states involved have Democratic governors. The Northeast coalition includes Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The West Coast one consists of California, Oregon and Washington.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Flash flood warnings were issued for parts of eastern Pennsylvania as severe storms knocked down trees and utility lines across the state, leaving thousands of utility customers without power. The National Weather Service said Monday afternoon that as much as three inches of rain had already fallen and another inch was possible in some areas. Forecasters also warned of high winds in some areas. telling residents to expect winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. About 24,500 utility customers were reported to be without power Monday afternoon.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s considered an unusual move, even for a politician who has done more than a few unusual things during his tenure in the White House. During yesterday’s daily White House briefing, President Donald Trump aired what amounted to a taxpayer-funded “sizzle reel” praising his own handling of the coronavirus crisis. At the start of the briefing meant to tell the nation about the pandemic, the lights in the briefing room were dimmed for the three-minute-plus video.

It showed a series of officials lauding Trump for his efforts to contain the virus. Trump said the video was produced in-house by his social media director and staffer — and was done at taxpayer expense. Trump says he ordered the video to be made to keep the press “honest.” During the briefing, Trump also jousted with reporters as he insisted that as president, he had the authority to singlehandedly declare the crisis over — and tell the nation to get back to normal.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is claiming total authority to decide how and when to reopen the economy after weeks of tough social distancing guidelines aimed at fighting the new coronavirus. But governors from both parties are pushing back, noting they have the primary constitutional responsibility for ensuring public safety in their states and will decide when it’s safe to begin a return to normal operations. Democratic leaders in the Northeast and along the West Coast have announced separate state compacts to coordinate their efforts to scale back stay-at-home orders or reopen businesses on their own timetables.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bernie Sanders is endorsing Joe Biden for president. The two former rivals made a joint online appearance on Monday, with Sanders asking all Americans to come together to support Biden’s candidacy. The backing is a crucial development for Biden, who must bridge the Democratic Party’s ideological divide to unify voters against President Donald Trump in the fall. Biden and Sanders clashed throughout the primary over policy issues such as “Medicare for All.” The endorsement stands in contrast to the extended 2016 fight between Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Mrs. America,” a miniseries about the 1970s battle over the Equal Rights Amendment, has an impressive cast. Among the stars are Cate Blanchett as anti-ERA activist Phyllis Schlafly, and Rose Byrne as Gloria Steinem. But the series also pays attention to women of color who championed equal rights, including political trailblazer Shirley Chisholm. Uzo Aduba, who plays Chisholm, calls it exciting that the miniseries includes the first major-party black candidate to seek the presidency. But the actress also lauds “Mrs. America” for including less well-known black activists, including lawyer Flo Kennedy, who’s played by Niecy Nash. “Mrs. America” debuts Wednesday on FX on Hulu.

UNDATED (AP) — Two veteran rock bands will try to fill the void of music fans who miss seeing live concerts in the COVID-19 lockdown. Starting Friday, Pink Floyd will release five concert films every week for four weeks on YouTube. The first is “Pulse,” which was recorded in 1994. Beginning Saturday, Genesis will release the first of a series of concert films. The first is “Three Sides Live,” which features parts of two live shows from 1981. That’s the year Genesis released “Abacab.”

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Officials at Reid Park Zoo in Tucson are celebrating the birth of a baby elephant. Zoo officials say the baby was born yesterday to Semba, a 30-year-old African elephant, and that it weighed nearly 300 pounds after 22 months of gestation.

Officials describe the baby elephant as “healthy, standing and nursing.” The baby wasn’t given a name immediately. Semba has given birth before but zoo officials said during her pregnancy that she was being closely monitored through physical exams, blood work and ultrasounds. The zoo is currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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